EA004001B1 - Method and system for redeeming product marketing rebates - Google Patents

Abstract

1. A method for processing a product marketing rebate claim submitted by a consumer in satisfaction of one or more rebate offers each having a value, the consumer having purchased one or more designated products in one or more qualified transactions, each qualified transaction having a transaction serial number assigned thereto, the transaction serial number recorded in a point-of-sale data processing and storage system and recorded on a receipt issued to the consumer, the method comprising the steps of: (a) providing a designated site connected to a computer information network and accessible by the consumer; (b) receiving the rebate claim on the designated site, the rebate claim comprising (i) at least one transaction serial number corresponding to a qualified transaction, and (ii) identifying information corresponding to the consumer; (c) storing as a stored data record the at least one transaction serial number and the identifying information corresponding to the consumer; (d) receiving an electronic file transfer from the data processing and storage system, the electronic file transfer including at least one purchase data record comprising at least (i) the transaction serial number corresponding to the qualified transaction in which the at least one designated product was purchased by the consumer, and (ii) an identification of each designated product purchased by the consumer; (e) associating each stored data record with a corresponding purchase data record having an identical transaction serial number; (f) processing the stored data record and the corresponding purchase data record associated therewith to validate the rebate claim; and (g) transferring to the consumer the value of the rebate offers claimed. 2. The method of claim 1 wherein step (a) comprises providing the designated site accessible by the consumer through one of: a computer connected to the computer information network; a computerized telephone answering system connected to the designated site and accessible by calling a designated telephone number with a telephone; or a combination thereof. 3. The method of claim 1 wherein receiving the rebate claim on the designated site in step (b) comprises receiving a rebate claim entered by one of: the consumer via access to the designated site through a personal computer connected to the computer information network; the consumer via access to the designated site through a computer located at a retail establishment and connected to the computer information network; the consumer via access to the designated site through a touch-tone telephone; a fulfillment administrator from information transcribed from a rebate claim submitted by the consumer in a paper format; or a combination thereof. 4. The method of claim 1 wherein step (g) comprises transferring the cash value of the rebates to the consumer in the form of a check. 5. The method of claim 1 wherein step (g) comprises transferring the cash value of the rebates to the consumer in the form of one of: (i) a credit to a smart card, (ii) a credit to a bank account or to a credit card, or (iii) a certificate for redemption at a participating member of a retail network. 6. The method of claim 1 wherein receiving the rebate claim on the designated site in step (b) comprises receiving information entered by the consumer during access to the designated site, step (b) further comprising, while the consumer has access to the designated site, interactively prompting the consumer to choose whether to proceed to step (t) immediately or to delay-performing step (t) until one of: a future instruction by the consumer to proceed, or expiration of a qualifying time period. 7. The method of claim 6 wherein in step (b) the consumer chooses to delay step (t) until expiration of the qualifying time period and in which steps (b) and (c) are repeated before expiration of the qualifying time period, subsequent step (b) comprising receiving on the designated site additional transaction serial numbers of additional qualified transactions, and subsequent step (c) comprising modifying the stored data record to include the additional transaction serial numbers. 8. The method of claim 7 wherein subsequent step (b) comprises receiving only a portion of the identifying information received in a prior step (b) and identifying, based on the portion of identifying information received, the consumer from the stored data record stored in a prior step (c). 9. The method of claim 7 wherein in step (b) the consumer chooses to wait until the end of the qualifying time period, and in which steps (f) and (g) are performed after expiration of the qualifying time period. 10. The method of claim 1 further comprising the step of: (a) compiling a marketing record for each consumer, the marketing record comprising the identifying information about the consumer and one or more consumer purchasing preferences derived from the purchase data records of the qualified transactions for which corresponding transaction serial numbers were received in step (a), the method further comprising providing the marketing record to a marketing agent. 11. The method of claim 1 wherein the consumer purchased the one or more designated products using a smart card, the smart card having a computerized data storage means having stored as computerized data thereon a smart card number and the transaction serial number, in which: step (b) comprises receiving on the designated site the rebate claim entered by the consumer using a smart card reader to automatically download the card number and the stored transaction serial number from the smart card into a card reader, the card number comprising the identifying information; and step (g) comprises transferring the cash value of the rebate claim to the consumer by crediting the smart card. 12. The method of claim 1 wherein the computer information network is a global computer information network. 13. A method for processing a plurality of product marketing rebate claims submitted by a plurality of consumers in satisfaction of a plurality of rebate offers each having a value, each consumer having purchased one or more designated products in one or more qualified transactions, each qualified transaction having a transaction serial number assigned thereto, the transaction serial number recorded in a point-of-sale data processing and storage system and recorded on a receipt issued to each consumer, the method comprising the steps of: (a) providing a designated site connected to a computer information network and accessible to the plurality of consumers; (b) receiving a plurality of rebate claims on the designated site, each rebate claim comprising (i) at least one transaction serial number corresponding to one or more qualified transactions, and (ii) identifying information corresponding to the consumer, at least one rebate claim having been entered by a fulfillment administrator from information transcribed from a rebate claim submitted by the consumer in a paper format, and at least one rebate claim entered by one of: the consumer via access to the designated site through a personal computer connected to the global computer information network, the consumer via access to the designated site through a computer located at a retail establishment and connected to the global computer information network, or the consumer via access to the designated site through a telephone; (c) storing a plurality of stored data records, each stored data record comprising the identifying information corresponding to one consumer, and at least one transaction serial number related to a rebate claim from that consumer; (d) receiving an electronic file transfer from the data processing and storage system, the electronic file transfer comprising a plurality of purchase data records, each purchase data record comprising at least (i) a transaction serial number corresponding to a qualified transaction in which at least one designated product was purchased by a consumer, and (ii) an identification of each designated product purchased by the consumer in the qualified transaction; (e) associating each stored data record with a corresponding purchase data record having an identical transaction serial number; (f) processing each stored data record and the corresponding purchase data record associated therewith to validate the rebate claim; and (g) transferring to each of the plurality of consumers the value of the rebate offers claimed by the consumer. 14. The method of claim 13 wherein: step (b) comprises receiving at least one rebate claim from a designated card consumer who purchased said one or more designated products using a designated card and having a card number, the designated card comprising one of: a credit card having a corresponding credit account, a debit card having a corresponding bank or debit account, or a smart card having computerized data storage means; step(c) comprises storing at least one designated card stored data record comprising personal information about the designated card consumer and retrievable by the designated card number; step (d) comprises receiving in the electronic file transfer at least one transaction data record comprising the designated card number and the corresponding transaction serial number for the qualified transaction in which the one or more designated products were purchased by the designated card consumer using the designated card; step (e) further comprises the fulfillment administrator associating the transaction data record with the corresponding designated card stored data record and updating the designated card stored data record to include the transaction serial number; and step (g) comprises the fulfillment administrator transferring the cash value of the rebate claims to the designated card consumer by crediting one of: the corresponding credit account, the corresponding bank or debit account, or the smart card computerized data storage means. 1

Description

A priority

This application claims priority on the basis of provisional patent application US No. 60 / 154,087, registered September 15, 1999, and US patent application No. 09 / 495,819, registered February 2, 2000.

Technical field

The present invention relates to the provision of marketing discounts on goods, and in particular to a business method for the electronic provision of marketing discounts on goods.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

Marketing discounts (return of a part of the amount after payment for the purchase) on goods are well known to most buyers and are generally accepted means in the arsenal of seller's methods to stimulate the purchase of goods by the buyer. Traditionally, manufacturers offer individual discounts on a predetermined amount of money to buyers who buy a certain product and send by mail a request (application) for a discount that meets certain criteria. Typically, these criteria include entering the name and address of the buyer in a special discount form, an application for a cash receipt indicating where and when the item was purchased, and sometimes an application for a universal product code (IRS code) or other special part of the product’s packaging to indicate that the item was really purchased. After 6-12 weeks, the buyer receives a postal check from the manufacturer or from the operator company authorized by the manufacturer to conduct the discount program.

The process of paying a discount can take a lot of time from the buyer, requiring him to save cash receipts and IRS codes for each product, fill out the forms, mail each form to the corresponding manufacturing company or operator, and cash out each check that comes from a particular manufacturing company or company- the operator. Thus, due to the burdensomeness and efforts involved in gaining benefits from discounts, many buyers generally prefer not to participate in such discount programs. Consequently, much to the disappointment of sellers of goods, discounts do not affect purchase decisions made by such lazy customers.

Recently, however, some retailers have begun to offer customers the option of combining all of their discount requirements into one easy-to-fill form, which can be sent to the retailer (or the retailer company designated by the retailer) to receive discounts on all eligible discount items purchased at this retailer. The rules of such consolidated discount programs typically limit a customer to submitting only one application within a given time period. Each filing of an application usually requires the buyer to send a pre-printed form relating to a particular retailer, in which, using special numbers, all discount offers are indicated, together with the original cash receipt. In a typical case, the buyer must manually fill out, as indicated, a pre-printed form, mark the items on which discounts are offered in the cash receipt, and write in the receipt next to each marked item the corresponding identification number of the discount offer. Then, after a period of time, which is still 6-12 weeks, the buyer typically receives a check in the postal item from the retailer for the total amount of realized discount offers.

The consolidated discount method comprises a number of steps, many of which do not include the buyer. In FIG. 1 is a flowchart illustrating broadly the traditional business method of consolidated discounts. First, at step 10, the buyer makes a purchase at a point of sale. Then, at step 20, the buyer looks at the corresponding positions on a pre-printed form, enters his name and address, marks the corresponding positions in the cash receipt, manually enters the numbers of discount offers next to these positions, and sends the form and the attached receipts by mail to the specified address. At step 30, the operator company, typically the contractor hired by the retailer to conduct the discount program, processes the correspondence received from the buyer. Finally, at step 40, the buyer receives a check.

Step 30 includes many sub-steps. At step 32, the postal worker of the operator company must first open the mail. Sometimes, in order for the operator company to be sure that it has enough employees to ensure the deadlines for the circulation of correspondence guaranteed to the retailer, the operator company must somehow quantify the volume of mail in order to be sure of its timely processing. Thus, the mail opening step may also include a mail quantification step, for example, a general weighing step, which determines the total weight of the received offers in order to estimate how many offers have been accepted.

Then, at step 34, the order processing worker checks that the goods marked on the receipt match the discount offer numbers indicated on the pre-printed form, checks that the date of the receipt does not fall outside the legal time period, and also checks other details (quantity items purchased, etc.) to ensure that the buyer meets the original criteria for claiming a discount. The order processing employee can also record codes indicating the number of items for which a cash refund is requested and the record data for offers of variable discounts. For example, if the amount of compensation depends on the number of items purchased, a code may be written indicating how many items were purchased. If the discount amount is based on the purchase price with the set minimum and maximum purchase prices, the employee processing the orders can enter the amount to be refunded, or the real purchase price, if it is in the proper range, or the established minimum or maximum price. If the buyer does not fall under the specific discount for which the claim was submitted, the order processing employee may enter the specific code unauthorized, indicating that the claim is unauthorized, as well as possibly a standard category of reasons why the claim is unauthorized.

The data entry operator then at step 36 enters the data contained in the form into a computer database. This data may include accounting information, such as business transaction number, payment document number, operator number, and postal codes; personal information about the buyer, such as name, address, state and zip code; information on monetary compensation, for example, the total number of items and the amount requested for compensation, and a list of items for which a monetary compensation will be made; as well as additional information, such as store number and eligibility codes, if any.

Thus, after entering the data, the computer database contains data such as the name and address of the buyer, offer numbers for which the buyer is entitled to receive a discount, and information related to the quantity and types of items purchased. After the order processing step 34 and / or the data entry step 36, a verification step as a quality control measure can also be carried out to ensure that the number of errors is minimized. In particular, unqualified claims may be reviewed to ensure that the claim is in fact unauthorized. At step 38, data entered into the computer is processed for fraud detection. Often the stage of fraud detection includes the processing of information using a computer program that can verify, among other things, that the person indicated for the discount really lives at this address, that only one offer is given to one home address, that person indicated for the discount is not included in the list of famous persons involved in discount fraud. Often at least one or more of the fraud detection steps may include the use of a third party computer database, such as databases maintained by the US Postal Service Postal Inspection, which can be shared by many different operator companies. The process itself from opening mail to entering, checking and controlling data can take several weeks, depending on the volume of mail being processed and the number of employees processing discount requirements. In addition, according to the established instructions for storing mail, mail can be stored for a certain period of time and then destroyed, which requires a storage room and the ability to destroy.

If desired, the information provided by buyers who qualify for discounts can be used by the retailer. For example, in the database of customers applying for discounts, the names and addresses of customers of this retailer who bought the type of goods for which discounts are requested are indicated. Thus, the retailer may, as an option, use the database of names and addresses compiled by the operator company for targeted advertising of goods to these customers. The retailer may conduct this direct advertising on his own and / or may sell the information on the names and purchasing preferences of these customers to other sellers, advertising companies and manufacturers who may want to work with these customers. The database of buyers and their buying habits is also available to the operator company, which can also use this information provided that its agreement with retailers or manufacturers allows this to be done.

The collection, sale and processing of marketing information about customers is a very profitable area of the industry, which is only partially occupied by such discount programs. Since, in a typical case, from the cash receipts provided by customers, only information regarding discounts is entered into the customer database, the information collected during such a discount process is inevitably limited. Many retailers have begun using loyalty cards to collect information about every purchase that a customer makes. Typically, a loyalty card is a credit-sized card that a customer or cashier inserts into a cash register at a point of sale or scans with it before or during the process of dispensing goods. In a typical case, the loyalty card contains a magnetic marking or marking with the IRC code, which identifies the identity of the owner of this card, in general, using the serial number on the card that corresponds to the record about a particular customer in a separate customer database. A prerequisite for receiving a card from a retailer is usually that customers provide their names and addresses, as well as other demographic information (age group, family income, family size, etc.) so that a record containing personal information can be stored in database and could be put in accordance with the serial number of the card. In order to interest the buyer to present a loyalty card at a point of sale every time he purchases goods from a retailer, the retailer usually makes special price reductions or offers only to card users. Thus, through the use of a loyalty card, retailers can maintain frequently updated data records for each purchase made by a particular customer at any time.

By analyzing the data collected using the loyalty card system, the retailer can not only identify individual customers for whom special offers are intended, but can also analyze general demographic trends for large groups of customers in order to receive information on how the price is feedback policies or other incentives affect customer purchasing decisions. The disadvantage of loyalty cards is that not every buyer wants to participate in such a program, and that customers do not always remember the information from their card. In fact, many buyers know that even if they forget the card, they may be asked to issue a temporary card upon purchase to receive special offers that day, thus bypassing the retailer’s system for linking purchases to individual customers.

Some retailers have begun to link discount offers to their loyalty cards, as a result of which each eligible purchase (eligible means that the purchase has a discount associated with it) made by the buyer using loyalty cards is automatically tracked by the retailer. At the end of a certain period, the retailer sends a certificate to the buyer by mail, which can be applied to future purchases made by the buyer only at that retailer. In this way, the retailer eliminates the paperwork for the buyer who makes purchases and uses the loyalty card, thus creating an incentive for the buyer not only to make purchases in this retailer’s store, but also to use the loyalty card and after receiving the certificate paid by the retailer , come back again to pay for the certificate.

Although the loyalty card certificate system offers some advantages over the consolidated discount system in the form of less paper work for the buyer and for the retailer who coordinates the program, one of the drawbacks is that such a system is based on a loyalty card. Even if buyers think that they will need to carry a loyalty card, for example, in their grocery store, if retailers with each type of product begin to require a loyalty card, the customer’s wallet or wallet will be filled with loyalty cards for each retailer whose regular customer he is - for pharmacy, office supply store, toy store, computer store, department store, club of buyers and so on. In addition, the retailer who is involved in managing the loyalty card system incurs certain financial costs. Another disadvantage of such a system is that it automatically provides a discount to the buyer without further interaction with him. There are certain advantages for retailers and manufacturers in forcing the buyer to take some supporting steps to claim a discount after purchasing a product.

Therefore, in this area there is still a need for a way to provide marketing discounts on products in a fast, cost-effective and customer-friendly way, as well as a way for retailers to collect more information about their customers' buying habits, which does not require the use of a separate loyalty card as element of the transaction, but still from the buyer some supporting steps are required to claim a discount. In addition, it is desirable to create a method that is flexible enough to adapt it to numerous formats of discount requirements.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

According to the present invention, there is provided a method of processing one or more requirements of marketing discounts on goods submitted by a customer to satisfy one or more discount offers having a certain amount, wherein each discount offer contains an offer to pay a sum of money in response to the purchase of one or more specific goods. The acquisition of one or more specific goods occurs for one or more eligible transactions, with each eligible transaction having the transaction serial number assigned to it. The serial number of the transaction is recorded in the system for processing and storing data of the outlet, and is also recorded on the receipt issued to the buyer. The discount processing method comprises providing a designated site connected to a global computer information network and accessible to a customer. The discount request is accepted on the specified site, and the discount request contains (ί) at least one serial number of the transaction corresponding to the eligible transaction, and (p) identifying information relevant to the buyer. A stored data record is stored containing said at least one transaction serial number and said identifying information corresponding to a customer. Electronic data transfer is accepted from the data processing and storage system. The transfer of the electronic file contains at least one record of purchase data containing at least (ί) the serial number of the transaction corresponding to the eligible transaction in which the buyer purchased the at least one specific product, and (n) the identification of each specific product, purchased by the buyer. Each stored data record is associated with a corresponding purchase data record having an identical transaction serial number, and the stored data record and the corresponding related purchase data record are then processed to confirm the discount requirement. Then the size of the discount requirements is sent to the buyer. The buyer can contact the specified site using a computer connected to the global computer information network, or by means of a telephone connected to a computerized telephone system for automatic response, which is connected to the specified site and which can be accessed by dialing a special telephone number.

After the initial discount request has been submitted, the buyer can choose to delay the processing of the discount requirements until one of the following events occurs: the buyer subsequently submits instructions to continue processing or the moment the legal period expires. When the buyer chooses a delay in completing this method until the expiration of the legal period, the buyer can subsequently go to the specified site and transfer additional serial numbers of transactions until the expiration of the legal period.

The receipt issued to the buyer may contain a separate calculation for one or more specific goods for which discounts are offered and which are purchased by the buyer upon completion of an eligible transaction. The buyer may be issued a primary receipt and a secondary receipt, where the secondary receipt essentially contains a record of the serial number of the eligible transaction and a dedicated calculation only for certain goods for which discounts are offered. The primary receipt contains a calculation for all purchases made by the buyer in an eligible transaction.

The method mentioned above can also be modified to allow at least one customer to transmit information to the specified site via a global computer information network, while at least one other customer fills out and mails a paper form to the operator company, corresponding operations in which the executive manager conducts and makes a discount request by providing serial numbers of authorized transactions and personal information on a paper form. When accepting the paper form, the executive manager contacts the specified website of the global computer information network, enters and transfers to this website the personal information of the other buyer mentioned and serial numbers corresponding to the authorized transactions of this buyer, and saves the personal information and serial numbers transmitted by this buyer as a record of stored data .

In a further embodiment of the present invention, at least one customer can buy one or more specific goods using a smart card having a number and means of storing digital (prepared for computer processing) data, at the same time the transaction serial number is stored as digital data in the storage means smart card digital data. The customer can then, using the smart card reader, enter one or more transaction serial numbers and personal information to automatically download digital data, which is the stored transaction serial number and card number, from the smart card to the reader. In this case, the card number contains personal information on the basis of which the buyer can be identified. The executive manager then forwards the amount of the discounts to the buyer by crediting the smart card.

In another embodiment of the present invention, the buyer can buy a specific product using an intended card, such as a credit card having an appropriate credit account, a debit card having an appropriate bank or debit account, or a smart card having digital storage means. The issuance and circulation of this card is funded by the retailer, and this card has a number. In this case, the executive manager, when sending the electronic file from the system located at the point of sale, at least one transaction data record containing the specified card number and the corresponding serial number of the transaction for an eligible transaction. The executive manager already has a stored data record in the file containing personal information about each customer, indexed by the number of the specified card, as a result of which the executive manager then associates the transaction data record with the corresponding stored data record for the specified card number. The transaction serial number is added to the record of stored data, and the rest of the method remains the same, except that the amount of the claims for discounts can be transferred to the buyer by crediting the corresponding credit account, debit or bank account or smart card. The data entry method described above, using the card designed for this purpose for entering data and transmitting it to a dedicated site, can be combined with data entry methods using the Internet and paper forms.

Thus, all of the above embodiments of the present invention comprise a method comprising receiving from a customer a discount claim comprising (ί) at least one serial number of a transaction corresponding to an eligible transaction, and (ίί) identifying information corresponding to the buyer. The data of at least one serial number of the transaction and identification information corresponding to the customer is stored in the computer memory as a record of stored data. Then, an electronic file is received from the data processing and storage system, which is stored in the computer's memory. The electronic file includes at least one purchase data record containing at least (ί) the serial number of the transaction corresponding to the eligible transaction in which the buyer purchased the at least one specific product and (ίί) the identification of each specific product, purchased by the buyer. Each stored data record is associated with a corresponding purchase data record having the identical transaction serial number, the stored data record and the corresponding purchase data record are processed to certify each discount request, and the amount of money corresponding to each discount offer declared for execution is sent to the buyer.

The present invention also comprises a system for processing a plurality of marketing discount requirements for goods filed by a plurality of customers to satisfy a plurality of discount offers, in accordance with the method of the present invention. This system contains a system for processing and storing data of a point of sale adapted for processing purchases made by customers and for identifying each eligible transaction using a serial number, and a receipt that contains a record of the serial number and is issued to each buyer by a system for processing and storing data of a point of sale. In addition, this system contains a means for receiving data from customers about the demand for discounts in electronic form, for example, a designated site connected to a global computer information network and using this network available to customers, or an interactive computerized telephone call processing system available to customers through this phone number. The discount claim data contains for each customer at least one transaction serial number and a customer identifier. At least one electronic data receiving and storing device is connected to the designated site, intended for storing as a record the stored data for each customer as received on the designated site, as well as for receiving and storing an electronic file sent from the processing system and store point of sale data. At least one data processor is connected to the electronic data receiving and storage device, which is adapted to associate each serial number contained in each stored data record with each purchase data record containing an identical serial number; to process each record of purchase data and the associated record of stored data to certify each discount claim and to verify each certified discount claim for fraud. And finally, the system includes a forwarding device for sending a sum of discounts to a customer.

The system may contain at least one computer used by the buyer to access the designated site in the global information network, for example, a computer located at the place of residence or work of the buyer or at an enterprise managed by a member participating in the program, for example, in a store section. A forwarding device designed to send a sum of discounts to a buyer can contain a smart card adapted for debiting and crediting by the amount of money, and a means for lending a smart card with a cash amount or may contain a check that can be sent to the buyer by mail.

In addition, the system may comprise a paper form adapted to include personal information in it and to embed it in the mailing to the paper form processor along with one or more serial numbers. Serial numbers can be entered on the form or simply provided in some form on receipts or copies of receipts sent by mail along with the form. In this case, the system also contains a paper form processor, which can receive a paper form and enter and transmit personal information and serial numbers to a special site in the global computer information network.

The invention also comprises a method comprising the steps of providing a special site connected to a computer information network and accessible to a customer; and receiving on this site a discount request containing at least identifying information that is relevant to the customer and entered in response to the discount offer. Identifying information corresponding to the buyer and identifying information corresponding to one or more specific products related to the discount requirements are stored as a record of stored data. Then, the purchase by the buyer of one or more specific goods in one or more eligible transactions is processed using a point of sale data processing and storage system, where this processing contains the receipt of identifying information relevant to the buyer. An outgoing electronic file containing at least one record of purchase data, including identification information corresponding to the buyer, and also containing the identification of each specific product purchased by the buyer, is received from the outlet data processing and storage system. Each stored data record is associated with one or more corresponding purchase data records having identical identifying information corresponding to the buyer, the stored data record and the corresponding related purchase data records are processed to confirm the discount requirement; and the amount of the requested discounts on relevant offers is sent to the buyer. Such a method may also contain, after entering identifying information on the designated site and before processing the discount request, receiving instructions from the user to the specified site to initiate the processing of the discount request.

Brief Description of the Drawings

The invention is explained in the following detailed description, illustrated by drawings. It must be emphasized that, in accordance with ordinary practice, the various elements in the drawings are not to scale. On the contrary, the dimensions of the various elements for clarity are arbitrarily increased or decreased. The drawings show the following.

FIG. 1 is a flowchart depicting a combined discount method according to the state of the art.

FIG. 2 is a flowchart depicting an example of a combined discount method including data entry over the Internet according to the present invention.

FIG. 3 is a schematic illustration of an example system according to the present invention.

FIG. 4 is a flowchart depicting an example of a data entry method using a paper form that can be combined with the flowchart of FIG. 3.

FIG. 5 is a flowchart showing an example of a data input method using a card that can be combined with the block diagram of FIG. 3.

FIG. 6 is a flowchart depicting an example of a combined discount method comprising inputting data using a card in accordance with the present invention.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

The invention is illustrated with reference to the drawings, in which like numbers indicate like elements throughout the drawings. The drawings are intended to be illustrative and not restrictive, and are included to explain the device of the present invention.

The present invention comprises a method for processing one or more of the requirements for marketing discounts on goods submitted by a customer to satisfy one or more discount offers. The discount offer contains the promise of the manufacturer or retailer to send the buyer a certain amount of compensation in exchange for the purchase of a particular product. The amount of the refund sent to the buyer may be in the form of a cash amount, such as a check, or it may be an industrial product, such as a promoted product, or a coupon for future purchases. As with any discount method, the first step for a customer is to purchase one or more specific products from a member of a retail network that offers a discount program.

In a typical case, the term participating in the program includes a store in its retail network or a system of stores owned by the company or provided under a franchising scheme, with all stores operating under the same brand. However, in the case when there is only one store, the retail network contains just one store in itself, which, of course, is the only member participating in the program. In a typical case, coordinated discount offers can be offered by retail chains that contain a system of similar stores under a single brand that sell similar products. However, other retail chains may contain a system of similar stores with different brands that sell products of the same type, for example, when consolidation in this industry has led to the unification of previously independent enterprises with an established reputation and various brands in different geographical regions. Other retail chains may contain different types of stores with different brands selling different types of products, either under the umbrella of a single parent company, or even in the conditions of cooperation of numerous parent companies that create it for any number of reasons, including simply consolidating discount systems. A member participating in the program can be an e-commerce company, access to which is possible through a global computer information network, such as the Internet.

In order to qualify for a discount, in the general case, purchases of items for which discounts are offered must be made within an eligible period of time. The eligible period of time may be unlimited, but it is usually finite in duration, for example, lasting one or more months, during this time a different set of discounts may be offered having a different eligible period of time. The use of eligible time periods is well known in the art. A discounted item is purchased during an eligible transaction. Eligible transaction is any transaction in which at least one product with an associated discount offer is purchased by a buyer within an eligible period of time.

Thus, according to the block diagram of FIG. 2, the first step 100 of the method according to this invention comprises the acquisition by the buyer of one or more specific goods from a member participating in the program when one or more eligible transactions are recorded by the outlet data processing and storage system. Each eligible transaction has a corresponding serial number recorded on the receipt issued to the buyer. The system for processing and storing data of a point of sale is any system known in the art for recording and processing purchases at a point of sale. Such systems typically comprise a computerized system that receives data either by manually entering the operator, or by scanning the IRS code printed on the packaging of the goods either by the manufacturer or the retailer. The system for processing and storing data of a point of sale can also be a computer server that accepts an electronic order through a global computer information network. Certain processing and storage systems are known that create for each transaction a corresponding serial number of a transaction or a code converted into serial form and print this serial number on a receipt issued to a customer, sometimes in the form of an IRS barcode. This transaction serial number can then be used by the buyer when returning the item to facilitate verification of the original purchase price. In order to execute the discount offer, the corresponding serial number of the transaction may be the same serial number that is typically created by similar systems for processing and storing data of the outlet, or may be a completely different number created solely for the purpose of monitoring the implementation of the discount program.

Step 100 may further comprise applying to the receipt issued to the buyer a dedicated calculation for one or more specific goods for which discounts are offered and which are purchased by the buyer in an eligible transaction. For example, in one transaction, a buyer can buy 50 items, of which only 5 have discount offers on goods related to them. As a reminder to the buyer that discounts are provided for them, in the special part of the receipt or on a separate receipt, a dedicated calculation can be applied only for items with a discount. Ideally, a primary receipt and a secondary receipt can be issued to the buyer, where the secondary receipt essentially consists of recording the transaction serial number and a separate calculation only for certain goods for which discounts are offered, while the primary receipt contains a calculation for all eligible purchases Transactions, including items that do not have a related discount offer. The second receipt may even include information regarding how to make a discount request, for example, your purchase of these items from today gives you the right to receive a $ 5 discount. Contact your retailer. [Retailer]. Hundred today and find out how to do it !. Or a second receipt may let the buyer know that a larger number of items can be purchased to fulfill a particular discount offer, for example, Today you bought one piece of brand X soap, buy two more and get a $ 1 discount.

Step 110 in FIG. 2 contains the customer’s appeal to the specified site of the global computer information network. A global computer information network, such as a network commonly referred to as the Internet or the World Wide Web (\\\\\\\\\\\\). contains any number of sites (\\ 's-sites) that the user can access. It is well known in the art that such sites provide information for reading or downloading, and also provide user interfaces by which users can transmit information about themselves, an application for a product, a credit card number, etc. The software required to provide such information, as well as to receive and record such input information, is well known in the art. The specified site described in this invention is maintained by the executive manager and typically comprises an interface located on a powerful computer server capable of simultaneously processing multiple requests from multiple users. The executive manager can be any person authorized by the retailer to process discount requirements. The executive manager may be an in-house employee of the retail network or an independent third-party contractor. The term executive manager refers to the person or persons responsible for processing discounts, and as such includes any person or any object managed by that person, such as employees working under computer programs or third-party subcontractors, but is not limited to the above.

The buyer makes a discount request at step 120 by entering and transmitting to the specified site (a) one or more serial numbers corresponding to one or more authorized transactions, and (b) identifying information, such as personal information about the buyer. So, the buyer can simply view the receipt issued by the processing and storage system of the outlet, and rewrite the serial number in the electronic form provided by the specified site. The buyer may also enter identifying information, for example, his name and address, phone number, email address, demographic information and / or the like. Identifying information includes at least a sufficient amount of information to identify the buyer, as a result of which a discount may be provided at a later stage. If the retailer already has personal information about the buyer, for example, on the basis of a loyalty card system or club membership in a trading house, the identifying information may simply be a membership number or a loyalty card number. Then, at step 130, the executive manager stores the personal information and serial numbers transmitted by the buyer as a record of stored data. Data can be stored using any electronic means known in the art, which may include the same server computer on which the specified site is located, or may be another attached data storage device to which the computer connected to the network can record and in which can store data.

The executive manager also receives an electronic file sent from the outlet data processing and storage system and containing a plurality of purchase data records, as shown in step 140. The electronic file transfer may take the form of a computer network transfer, such as a global computer information network or a computer network with direct connection and secure access, or can be carried out using an independent electronic storage device containing an electronic file. Each purchase data record contains a list of purchased goods, the date and serial number of the transaction for an eligible transaction in which at least one specific product was purchased by any buyer. The purchase record may also contain other data, such as, for example, the store number. This step can be performed at any time, from the moment of performing step 100 to any moment before performing step 150, for example, daily after the end of the transaction by the system of the point of sale for that day, or it can be performed weekly or at different intervals, or may not be performed until expiration of an eligible period of time. One of the advantages of this method is the speed with which the claims can be processed, however, the data transfer during the eligible period is preferably carried out periodically, therefore, if some buyers want, their requirements can be processed before the expiration of the eligible period. For the reasons described below, the list of purchased goods in the record of purchase data in a typical case contains all items purchased during the execution of an eligible transaction, and not only items with a discount. However, in order to minimize the size of the file sent electronically, the recording of purchase data can be limited only to items for which discounts are offered. Such a restriction requires software for the identification of items at a discount in the data processing and storage system of the point of sale, for example, software necessary for issuing a secondary receipt, as described above.

Then, at step 150, the executive manager associates each serial number in the stored data record with a purchase data record having an identical serial number. Thus, for each serial number transmitted by the buyer and saved as a record of stored data, there is a corresponding purchase data record with the same serial number, which was accepted when sending the electronic file at step 140. Then, the executive manager processes the purchase data record and the associated record stored data in order to confirm the requirements of the discount, for example, using computer software that the executive manager himself works with or someone on his behalf. For example, computer software compares the IRS codes contained in the purchase record with a database of valid IRS codes that correspond to various discount offers. The software automatically checks that the correct number of items was purchased and that the purchase date was within the legal period. The software can also automatically process various discount offers by identifying the total volume based on the number of purchases, or by identifying the purchase price or replacing it with a maximum or minimum price in case the purchase price is out of range. Thus, computer software automatically determines from the purchase data record exactly which product purchases have related discount offers, and cumulatively calculates the total volume of discounts due to each customer.

Then, the certified discount claim can preferably be checked for fraud by comparing the name and address of the buyer with information in known databases, which are known in the art and described above in the Background section of the invention. The fraud verification step can be carried out in the same way as is known in the art and is used for data entered by the executive manager from the submitted discount requirements on paper forms. Alternatively, this step may be skipped.

After it is allowed to provide a certified discount, the executive manager sends the buyer a sum of money for all the requirements of the discounts presented by the buyer within the legal period of time. The amount of money can be in the form of a check issued to the buyer, credit to a smart card, credit to a bank or credit account or certificate for payment only by a member of the retail network participating in the program. As used here, the term smart card refers to a credit or debit card containing a storage medium, such as a magnetic strip and / or integrated circuit, while the storage medium is capable of storing electronic data that can be read and written using card reader / writer, allowing you to save on the card as such, for example, a changing account balance. Such cards are well known in the art.

Since the buyer can come home immediately after making a purchase at step 100 and go to the specified site at step 110, some buyers may want to receive their discounts as soon as possible. Therefore, the method of providing discounts may further comprise, at step 120, issuing an interactive request to the buyer by the indicated site to choose whether to proceed immediately to step 160 of this method or to postpone the execution of step 160 until (ί) the purchaser further submits instructions to continue or (ίί) the moment of expiration of the legal period of time. At the same time, a buyer who knows that he will not return to any of the stores in the retail network during the remainder of the legal period may authorize the immediate processing of information. On the other hand, another buyer may prefer to send discount information to the specified site immediately upon returning from the store, so as not to forget to do this for this receipt, but, however, may want to wait to see if he will still make purchases eligible for the discount during the legal period before issuing permission to process information. In this case, the buyer can choose to delay further processing until the next instruction or until the end of the legal period of time. Thus, if the buyer makes another purchase, he can again go to the site, enter additional serial numbers of transactions and either allow the processing of information at the moment, or select the delay again. At the end of an eligible period of time, the system may begin to automatically process all stored information. A customer who chooses a delay and refuses to process the discount requirements before the end of the eligible period of time may lose the right to demand a discount, or the discount request may be automatically processed in any case, depending on the rules of the retailer’s program. Customers with pending but unprocessed discount requirements can be reminded by email a predetermined time before the end of the eligibility period. Before proceeding to steps 150 and 160, steps 110-130 may be repeated multiple times (step 140 will be executed at any time determined by the retailer or executive manager, regardless of when other steps are completed). In this case, each additional step 130 comprises a modification of the record of stored data to include additional serial numbers.

When the buyer accesses the specified site for the second or subsequent time, the site can automatically recognize the buyer after transferring only part of the personal information transmitted during the first access session, for example, only name and postal code, only phone number, only email address or any other limited pieces of personal information about the buyer that is considered necessary. During the first visit to the specified site, the buyer has the opportunity to choose a username and password that can be entered on subsequent visits, and thus, the username and password can be partial information that is entered for identification. In this case, when entering partial information, the specified site can interactively fill out the electronic form with the remaining part of the personal information about the buyer or the site can request the buyer using the menu from the addresses corresponding to the same entered name. From this menu, the buyer can simply select the personal information corresponding to him, and further input of personal information may not be required, except for the modification of any information if necessary. For the transfer of partial personal information by the buyer, it may not require any input from him at all, instead, this information may simply contain information automatically transmitted by the buyer, such as a juice file stored on the buyer's computer from a previous visit to the specified site. The use of sock1e files in a global communications network is well known in the art.

Customer identification at subsequent visits can be used in conjunction with a method in which a customer can enter multiple serial numbers during multiple access sessions within the same legal time period, or can also be used when the same customer makes discount requests in many programs with different eligible time periods. Thus, one customer may be required to enter personal information into the system only once. This single input can be intended for one retail network, or, since the executive manager can serve several different retail chains, each of which has different coordinated discount offers, the only input of personal information can create some account with the executive manager that can be used to numerous retail chains. So, a customer introducing a discount requirement for a pharmacy system through the Internet by contacting her website. may later refer to the website’s office supplies store and find that he does not need to enter detailed personal information again. This can happen when the same executive manager serves both retail chains and personal information is distributed across both discount programs. In addition to the fact that the buyer has access to a simplified input process in the future, on a subsequent visit, the buyer will be able to check the status of the pending discount application, check the history of his account, or be able to select other options.

It is necessary to understand here that the customer’s appeal to the specified site can be carried out in many ways. For example, the buyer can go to the specified site by selecting an item from the menu located on the \\ 'e-site of the retail network that offers a discount program. In the case of an online retailer, the buyer can be transferred to the specified site immediately after making a discounted purchase. The buyer may also refer to the specified site by contacting directly the \\ u-site of the executive manager. Some manufacturers may also want to place links to retailers or executive managers who offer their discounts to customers on their website. Therefore, although it may seem to the buyer that the specified site is an integral part of, for example, the pharmacy \\ 's site, in fact it can be the TEE website of the executive manager, which is simply linked by reference to the TEE pharmacy website. The way in which the buyer actually accesses the specified site is not essential for this invention. It should also be noted that, although the specified site is necessarily connected to the global computer information network, access to the system does not have to occur through this network. For example, a section of a store may be directly connected to a specified site, or if the executive manager enters data from a paper form submitted by the buyer, the executive manager can be directly connected to the specified site without the need for initial access to the Internet or the World Wide Web. Direct connection to the specified site can provide a more secure connection than an Internet connection, which may also be attractive to some customers who want to take advantage of the section in the store. Access to the specified site can also be carried out by telephone without using a computer terminal, which will be discussed below.

Based on the information transmitted by the buyer, the executive manager can create a marketing record for each buyer, as shown in step 130 of FIG. 2. Each marketing record may contain personal information about the buyer and one or more of his purchasing preferences obtained from records of purchase data on eligible transactions for which the buyer transmitted the corresponding serial number at step 120. Purchasing preferences may simply be a complete list of items purchased during an eligible transaction, or may be information selected from an analysis of the purchase data. For example, consumer preferences may indicate that the buyer is a suitable candidate for purchasing goods for cats based on the information in the purchase data record regarding the acquisition of food for cats. This marketing record may then be provided to a marketing agent, such as a marketing agent for a retail chain, who may subsequently offer the customer special offers regarding the goods or types of goods typically purchased by the customer. Alternatively, the marketing agent may be the executive manager or someone else authorized by the executive manager to provide such services, the manufacturer of the product, or a third party whose interests relate to customers with certain purchasing habits.

Although in the examples described above, step 110 comprises a customer contacting a specified site using a personal computer, presumably located at the customer’s home, it is likely that not every customer has a computer with Internet access, or that not every customer wants to use the system on based internet. Therefore, step 100 may contain not only a customer’s request to the specified site from his own computer, but also a request to the specified site from a computer located in the retail network, for example, in the store section. The store section typically contains essentially a computer or computer terminal that provides access to the specified site using an interactive data input system, possibly in a more friendly format for customers who have less knowledge of the Internet. In one embodiment of the present invention, said site may simply be located on a computer information network that cannot be accessed globally via the Internet, but which is accessible only through such sections of stores or other special portals of a limited network.

In addition, the present method can also be used in conjunction with a system for applying for discounts on paper forms. In such a system, many buyers make purchases and are issued with serial numbers of receipts, as described above. Also, similar to the process shown in FIG. 2, at least one buyer contacts the specified site of the global computer information network and makes a discount request by entering and transmitting to the specified site serial numbers of authorized transactions and personal information. The Executive Manager saves the personal information and serial numbers transmitted by the buyer as a data record.

In addition, at least one other customer can fill out and mail to the executive manager a paper form using the data entry method in the paper form shown in FIG. 4. At step 400, this buyer makes a discount request by entering personal information in a paper form, as well as providing serial numbers of eligible transactions. Serial numbers can be provided by recording them on a paper form, or, more conveniently, receipts or copies of receipts can be attached to this form. The form and serial numbers are then mailed to the executive manager at step 410. After receiving the paper form at step 420, the executive manager contacts the specified site of the global computer information network, at step 430, enters and transfers the personal information of this other buyer and the serial numbers corresponding to eligible transactions this other buyer, and at step 440 saves the personal information and serial numbers transferred to the specified site in the form of a record of stored data. In the case of receipts having a serial number encoded on them as a bar code, the executive manager can reduce the processing time by reading the serial number using a barcode scanner. A digital scanner known in the art may also be used to reduce processing time, equipped with an alphanumeric text recognition program, and the scanner is used to read numbers from either a paper form or a receipt or a copy thereof. The record of stored data created in this way by the executive manager is essentially identical to that which the buyer himself would have created using access via the Internet, except that as part of the personal information auxiliary or demographic information may be present regarding how the data was introduced.

The remaining steps are identical to those described above and shown in FIG. 2, that is, the executive manager receives an electronic file sent from the point of sale data storage system and containing a plurality of purchase data records; associates each serial number from each record of stored data with each record of purchase data containing an identical serial number; processes each record of purchase data and the associated record of stored data to certify each discount claim and checks for fraud and sends the amount of discount claims to the buyer.

The buyer can also contact the specified website of the global computer information network and provide data related to the requirement of discounts in electronic form using a telephone. After a data record has been created for this buyer, either by entering information through a global computer information network using a home terminal or terminal in a section of the store, or by submitting a paper form, the buyer can present the subsequent discount request by phone. Therefore, for example, for the first time, a customer enters information by transmission over a global computer information network, and a customer number and a digital password can be assigned to the customer. The customer number can be, for example, his phone number, social security number or the like, or simply be an arbitrary or meaningful number that is assigned to or selected by the customer. The digital password can be selected by the buyer or assigned to him. For simplicity, the purchaser’s number and password may be identical to the username and password used to access the global computer information network, or the purchaser may have alphanumeric usernames and passwords for use with the computer, and digital usernames and passwords designed to use with the phone. If the first input of information is carried out by the buyer by submitting a paper form, to provide the buyer with his number and digital password, he can be sent a return postal item or can be contacted by phone. After the buyer has received his number and digital password, he can make a phone call to a predefined number, for example, toll-free, and at the same time transmit the entered information about discounts by phone.

An interactive computerized telephone call processing system, such as that used to access voicemail, access brokerage services, or financial planning services, is connected to a predefined telephone number. When connecting the buyer with an interactive computerized system for processing telephone calls, he is offered a menu of several items, one of which is entering the customer number and password. The requested data is received on the specified site, for example, in the form of tones generated by the number keys of a telephone with a tone dialing, which is well known in the art, or using a voice recognition program, which is also well known in the art for recognizing voice responses the caller. It should be noted here that the interactive computerized system for processing telephone calls can be directly connected to the specified site or be an integral part of it or can be connected to the specified site in remote access mode via the global computer information network, and this system is adapted to transmit information entered using the telephone to the specified site. In another embodiment of the present invention, the interactive computerized telephone call processing system may be an independent system that is not connected at all to the specified site of the global computer information network. If the buyer successfully enters the buyer’s number and password, he is offered the following menu of several items, one of which is entering the transaction code corresponding to the receipt of the authorized transaction. The transaction code information is then stored in a storage device and processed in the same way as information transmitted on paper or electronically by a computer. Other menu items, if the buyer has successfully entered the buyer number and password, may include, but are not limited to, for example, providing a previously entered set of codes of eligible transactions for further processing, checking the status of a pending decision, a previously submitted application for a discount, changing a password or talking with a representative service.

One of the advantages of using the customer’s phone number as the customer’s number when entering information by telephone is that the existing caller identification technology can be used to automatically determine the customer’s number given by the telephone number from which he is calling. Therefore, the first menu item selected may simply be entering a password if the buyer is calling from the phone number corresponding to his customer number, or entering, for example, an asterisk plus the customer’s number if the buyer is not calling from the phone number corresponding to his customer number.

Telephone access may also be provided from a wireless device, such as a cell phone. So, for example, a buyer who has just made a purchase that is eligible for a discount can immediately contact the specified site and enter the relevant information for this purchase. So, a wireless device with Internet access can access the specified site either through the Internet or through an interactive computerized system for processing telephone calls. Therefore, as used here, the term connection, referring to a connection between a user and a global computer network or to a connection using a telephone system, means not only physical wired connections, but also wireless connections using transmitted and received electronic signals, what is known in the art.

In another embodiment of the present invention, a method for electronically processing discount claims may, as an integral part, include the use of an assigned card, such as a smart card, credit card or debit card. The buyer's use of an assigned card, in particular a card issued by an executive manager and acting as an umbrella for a large retail network from other unrelated retailers, can initiate automatic access to the specified site on behalf of the buyer. Thus, the buyer using the assigned card can automatically present discount requirements for any product purchased using this card. Such automatic access can be carried out from a point of sale data processing and storage system without further action by the customer, as shown in FIG. 5 and 6, which are discussed below. In addition, in the case of a smart card having data storage means, this smart card can receive data from the point-of-sale system and store it (for example, the transaction serial number), and the buyer can then go to the indicated site at step 110, as shown in FIG. 2, and at step 120, automatically enter serial number data and personal information by inserting a smart card into the card reader / writer. Then the data can be transferred to the specified site without manual entry by the buyer. If there is a monetary reimbursement on the specified site, from the previous submission of a discount claim awaiting transfer to the buyer's card as a loan, this loan can also be written to the card during such a procedure.

In the case of either a smart card or a standard credit or debit card without data storage, simply using this card in a point-of-sale system can initiate automatic upload of the card number and the transaction serial number to the specified site, as shown in FIG. 5 and 6. This method of data input using a card can be combined with data input methods via the Internet and data input from a paper form, which are described above and shown in FIG. 2 and 4. As shown in FIG. 5, the method of entering data using a card simply comprises transferring the transaction data recording system to the executive manager by the point-of-sale system at step 500. Such a transfer may be part of the transfer of purchase data in an electronic file, or in the case of a separate transfer of the file, may occur immediately, after the completion of transactions for day or at some other frequency. Then, at step 510, the specified site, on which the record of the credit card number is associated with personal information about the buyer, can create or update the record of stored data for the buyer to reflect the serial number of the transaction for which the intended card was used. On the other hand, since the purchase data includes the card number, the stored data record can only contain personal information about the buyer, including the card number, and each purchase record can be associated with the stored data record only by the card number. Then, when processing a discount request, the specified card can be automatically credited with the cash amount of the discount. In the case of a smart card, the card reader / writer credits the card during the subsequent data transfer step; in the case of a debit card, the associated bank or debit account is credited; and in the case of a credit card, a credit score is credited.

The method using the intended card, used by itself without combining with other methods of data entry, provides optimal minimization of the steps in the process of providing discounts. In a separate method, at step 600, the buyer acquires certain products using a special card. At step 610, the point of sale data processing and storage system forwards the purchase data record to the executive manager by sending the electronic file. The transmitted electronic file contains (ί) the serial number of the transaction, (and) the number of the indicated card, (ίίί) the date of the transaction (if a fixed expiration date for the discount offer is set) and (ίν) a list of goods purchased by the buyer. Since the executive manager already has a stored data record in the file containing personal information about each customer, indexed by the number of the indicated card, the executive manager at step 620 can then (ί) associate the purchase data record with the stored data record, (ίί) process the record purchase data and an appropriate record of stored data to certify discount requirements and (ίίί) as an option, perform a fraud check. Finally, at step 630, the executive manager credits the indicated card with the cash amount of the discount requirements by crediting a credit card, debit card or bank account or lending a smart card. Since in the method of recording purchase data used in this method, there is already personal information about the buyer in the form of a card number, which may be associated with the recording of stored data containing other information about the buyer, for example, name, address and the like, the record of stored data is not it is required to update with new information as a result of the transaction, in contrast to the method depicted in FIG. 2. Instead, the executive manager simply saves the purchase data record and can associate it with the stored data record using the card number, rather than using the transaction serial number.

When a discount offer typically requires only one consolidated discount request for the eligible period, the discount request can be processed at the end of the eligible period, or the discount rules may allow the processing of multiple discount requirements for customers using the card (with a specific number of discount requirements for each subject is still limited by the manufacturer discount rules). Therefore, each time a card is used to purchase an item subject to a discount, the method for processing discount requirements can be fully implemented. In addition, it may still be preferable to engage in some interaction with the buyer before processing the discount. In this case, the holder of the specified card may still be required to authorize the processing of the discount request either using the phone or using Internet registration to access the account and request a discount. In other circumstances, it may be desirable to provide one group of privileged customers spending a predetermined amount of money using the indicated card with automatic discount processing, while other buyers will still need to take some supporting steps to initiate the discount processing.

The method of providing discounts, including the use of the intended card, can be combined with data entry methods using the Internet and / or paper forms, in this case, the record of stored data for each customer can be updated using the card, using the customer’s request to the specified website or the executive’s manager to the specified site after receiving a paper form from the buyer. Thus, various buyers participating in one consolidated offer of discounts can choose from at least three different options for claiming their discounts (ί) their own appeal to the specified site using either a home Internet connection or a terminal in the store section, ( ίί) using the intended card or (ίίί) sending the paper form. Similarly, if the buyer uses the specified card for one eligible transaction, and another means of payment for another eligible transaction, then for this other eligible transaction, he can enter the serial number using methods using Internet access or a paper form. The overall end result of saving, as a record of the stored data, the transaction serial number and personal information using all three methods of data entry prevents the validation of duplicate input information and makes interchangeability and combination of these methods possible.

A particular advantage of an information entry system using a dedicated card is that the retail network can contain a number of unrelated retail systems that can enter into contracts with one executive manager to track purchases using the specified card in order to automatically determine the right to cash refunds. Such retailers may also contract with the executive manager to manage consolidated discounts using the Internet and paper forms, as described above. Thus, the buyer can use his card in any of several retailers to automatically receive cash refunds received on his account, regardless of which retailer the goods were purchased from. Such a card may also preferably be suitable for universal use as a standard credit card or smart card even for retailers who are not members of the network while the retailer accepts a card of a particular brand, for example νΚΑ®, ΜΑδΤΕΚΟΑΚΌ®, ΑΜΕΚΙΟΑΝ ΕΧΡΚΕ88®, ΌΙδΟΘνΕΚ®, ΌΙΝΕΚ8 CuBB® or the like. Thus, buyers receiving automatic processing of discount requirements may have an incentive to use the card as often as possible, even if the buyer is not aware of current discount offers, but only if the transaction is eligible. The key condition for a buyer to receive a discount using a card, however, is that the retailer must communicate the serial code of the transaction to the executive manager. Therefore, the buyer also has an incentive to make purchases only with members of the retail network participating in the program, as a result of which retailers have an incentive to become members of this retail network.

Using this card may initiate the forwarding of the purchase data record to the executive manager, even if an item eligible for the discount has not been purchased. Therefore, since for buyers using the specified card, a list of all purchases created for a particular buyer can be formed, the customer profile can be wider than that provided by data entry methods using the Internet or paper forms, as a result of which a marketing record can be more valuable.

One of the advantages of the data entry method using the intended credit, debit or smart card as compared to collecting purchase data and processing discount requirements using a loyalty card is that this card is accepted as legal tender not only by members of this retail network . Moreover, for the buyer there is no need to carry a lot of loyalty cards. In addition, the credit received on the specified card or the corresponding account can be used outside the retail chain issuing this card.

In FIG. 3 shows a schematic example of a system 2000 according to the present invention. System 2000 comprises a store data processing and storage system 210 adapted to process purchases made by customers 200 and to identify each eligible transaction with serial number 225. As shown in FIG. 3, Buyer 200 completes an eligible transaction by paying 205, for example, in cash, by check, credit card, debit card, 292 smart card, food card, gift certificate, or in the form of a legal tender recognized in the trade. In addition, the system 2000 contains a receipt 220 issued to each customer by the outlet processing and storage system 210, with each receipt containing a serial number record 225. The system 2000 further comprises a global computer information network 230 to which at least one specified site is connected 240, which is adapted to receive data from multiple buyers, while for each buyer this data contains one or more serial numbers of authorized transactions and personal information about the buyer. Therefore, the buyer 200 can access the specified site 240 through the global computer information network 230 and, thus, can enter and transmit serial numbers and personal information. Buyer 200 can enter network 230 in any of a number of ways, for example, using a computer, such as a computer 233 located at the place of residence or work of the buyer, or a store terminal 236 provided by a retail network, or using a telephone connected to an interactive computerized processing system phone calls.

The system 2000 also includes an electronic data reception and storage device 250 for storing stored data, data for each customer that is received by said site 240, and an electronic data receiving and storage device 260 for receiving and storing an electronic file forwarded from the system 210 processing and storage of data in retail outlets. Devices 250 and 260 may be separate devices, as shown in FIG. 3, or component parts of one device for receiving and storing electronic data. The electronic file contains a record of purchase data for each eligible transaction, including at least one specific item. Each purchase data record includes transaction serial number 225. At least one data processor 270, such as software on a computer, associates each serial number in each stored data record with each purchase data record containing the same serial number, and processes each purchase data record and its associated stored data record to certify each discount requirement. Devices 250 and 260, as well as processor 270 and / or said site 240, may be components of a single computer or server, or may be interconnected elements of a computer network. Such a computer or server can typically be located in the offices of the executive manager, or it can be controlled externally on behalf of the executive manager by a computer service as a subcontractor, or the components can be located in different rooms and connected to each other either by means of remote telephone access, direct lines, or global computer information network. Receiving and storing devices 250 and 260 may include disk drives, magnetic tape drives, SBKOM devices (read-only memory on CD-ROM) or any other means for storing electronic information known in the art.

System 2000 may also include a data processor 280 for checking for fraud. The data processor 280 may also be located in a separate computer or server, or located in the same place as the site 240, devices 250 and 260, and the processor 270, and controlled from the same place, or may be controlled by a remote third party. The data processor 280 may comprise any computer hardware and / or software known in the art. In the case where the data processor 280, designed to check for fraud, is controlled by a third party, the electronic data file is sent to this processor, which evaluates the data and returns a message indicating any fraudulent or potentially fraudulent use of the entered information.

Finally, the system 2000 includes a forwarding device 290 for sending a sum of discounts to a customer. As shown in FIG. 3, the transfer device 290 is connected to the processor 270, since in this case, for example, computer software that certifies the discount requirement may then automatically transfer the funds to the buyer in some form. Forwarder 290 may include a smart card 292 adapted for debit and credit in cash, and means 294 for crediting a smart card with cash, such as the card reader / writer 294 shown in FIG. 3 associated with a point-of-sale system 210. Thus, for example, if the smart card 292 can be credited or debited by the retailer offering a coordinated discount program, the amount of money can be sent to the retailer, who can then credit the buyer from the point of sale system 210 during the next visit. Otherwise, the card reader / writer 294 may be connected to a home computer 233 or terminal 236, as a result of which the buyer can access the specified site 240 using either a home computer or terminal and receive a loan. Alternatively, the means of transferring the amount of money may be in the form of a loan to account 298, for example, a bank account, debit account or credit card account, in the form of material embodiment 296, such as a check sent by mail to the buyer or a gift certificate, or in the form of any legal means of payment known in trade.

In accordance with the method described above, the system 2000 may further comprise a paper form 300, which is adapted for the buyer 200 to enter the required personal information and embed, together with one or more serial numbers, in the postal item 305 sent to the paper form processor 310. Serial numbers can be written on the form or attached to receipts or copies of receipts and can be encoded as a barcode on receipts or copies. A paper form processor 310, such as an executive manager, and any associated processing device, such as a barcode reader or other type of automatic coding tool, can then receive paper form and / or receipts, enter personal information and serial numbers and transmit it to the specified site 240. And again, access to the site 240 may be via a global computer information network 230 or, as shown in FIG. 3, directly.

Obviously, the present invention provides many advantages over a system according to the state of the art. An important advantage is that the time required to process discount requirements is reduced from a few weeks to about a few days. If we assume that the executive manager has already accepted the forwarded electronic file with the purchase data by the time the buyer enters the serial numbers and personal information, then the check may be issued on the day the data is received, where the only delay in the acceptance of the buyer is the mail delivery time. Thus, the payment to the buyer, for example, using credit methods from bank accounts to credit cards, can occur on the same day that the processing of information is initiated.

Since the methods using the Internet, the telephone, and the card do not contain manual steps, huge savings are achieved by eliminating the steps of opening mail and entering data manually. Although in one embodiment, the method still allows some use of requirements on paper forms, the number of these requirements is reduced to a minimum, resulting in a significant reduction in the staff needed to process the requirements. In addition, the buyer saves on the exclusion of postage, the cost of envelopes and possible photocopies necessary for filing an application on paper.

Another advantage associated with the exclusion or reduction of manual input by the executive manager is the reduction in data entry errors. Although an individual buyer may still make a mistake in entering information, it is more likely that the buyer will be able to detect errors when viewing, as he needs to view only one input of information, and not a thousand per day. In addition, data processors that transfer data written manually on paper forms may have difficulty reading the customer’s handwriting or may even encounter a language barrier, since the relatively cheap labor required to make such processing profitable may be beyond outside the country where the requirements for discounts are filed and / or may not understand the local language in which these requirements are written. None of these problems exist for discount claims using the Internet, telephone or card.

In addition, retailers using the method of this invention may benefit from reduced fraud attempts. Since the individual serial numbers for each eligible transaction are unique, the fraudulent buyer cannot accurately produce any cash receipt that looks like the original, and successfully claim a discount. Similarly, since the standard serial number created by point-of-sale systems known in the art is also entered upon returning items, a buyer who purchases a discounted item, returns it and is still trying to claim a refund will be identified by the serial number of the transaction. Even if the buyer had to receive the check and then returned the item after receiving the check in his hands, this buyer can be identified as the one who once fraudulently demanded a discount, and thus can be entered into the fraud check database for the next time.

Thanks to the computer implementation of the method, the buyer can check the status of his claim for a cash refund 24 hours a day, simply by contacting the specified site, which, when identifying the buyer on the basis of personal information that needs to be entered, can provide a status check that accurately informs the buyer about which data has been entered so far whether the processing of this data is authorized in the next step of the method, and if it is authorized, at what stage of the method is this data currently dyatsya (check fraud, check printing, etc.), and when, for example, was printed a check, money was transferred to the bank account or the funds were transferred to the retailer to update the smart card at the next visit.

Other additional benefits may benefit retailers and executive managers who, using this discount method, are able to use names and addresses along with customer profiles much more widely than only products with discounts, without the need for a loyalty card. The ability to analyze purchase data to create marketing lists of customers with specific buying habits makes the discount process more profitable for the retailer and / or executive manager due to the ability to offer customer lists to third parties on the market.

Retailers, the executive manager, and even manufacturers of goods offering discounts can also access stored information using a telephone or global computer network to analyze activity associated with the discount offer. Each side may have a different level of access authority. For example, a manufacturer of a product may have an alphanumeric username and password for logging in via the Internet and / or a digital customer number and password for logging in using a telephone, which allows that manufacturer to access information regarding how many discount offers for a particular product have been processed at a specific time interval. The manufacturer can also receive a data file via the Internet listing the names and addresses of the people who entered information on his product. Similarly, retailers may have access codes that enable them to access information or reports regarding all submitted discount offer requirements related to their retailer. The executive manager may have access to information and reports regarding all discount offers for all such retailers.

And finally, the ease of use of this method, coupled with faster results and lower costs for the buyer, stimulates an increase in the volume of requirements for discounts, purchases of goods with discounts and an increase in the number of regular customers from retailers offering a method for providing discounts in accordance with the present invention. An increase in the volume of requirements for discounts, coupled with an increase in the volume of purchase information provided for each customer, increases the value of customer information collected using this method.

In addition to the variants of the method and system provided herein, the invention also comprises a computer program product comprising at least one program storage means, such as computer software readable by a machine, such as a computer materially implementing a program of instructions, such as computer code, executed a machine for implementing the steps of this method for processing a marketing discount requirement for goods, as described herein. The present invention may comprise a single program storage means read by one machine, or a plurality of discrete program storage means, each of which can be read by a separate machine, the machines being connected to one another. Such storage facilities for programs can handle the transfer of funds to the buyer, this processing consists of sending money directly to the buyer in electronic form in the form of a loan to a smart card, bank account or credit card, or simply printing a check or certificate, which is then sent to the buyer by mail .

In addition, it must be borne in mind that, although the various methods presented are described mainly for their joint use in the implementation of the scheme of combined discount offers, each method can be independent and will still provide advantages over existing processes. So, in its fundamental form, this invention contains a method for processing discount requirements, comprising receiving from a buyer a serial transaction code for a transaction during which a discounted item was purchased, and then matching this code with a data record containing this code and a list of purchased goods with discount, which is provided by the data processing system of the outlet. The transaction serial code can be received by contacting the global computer information network using a telephone or computer, such as a home computer or terminal; by direct contact by phone or computer; or by mailing a paper form. In addition, an e-mail message containing the serial code of the transaction can be forwarded to the specified e-mail address without browsing the Internet using a browser. The method of mailing paper forms can be further improved by using a post card, which can be processed by a data processor without opening envelopes, while there is no other step compared to existing processes. Such postcards can be further adapted to be received by automated processing equipment for postcards, which automatically positions the postcard so that the data processor can read and enter data, and then proceeds to the next card on the basis of the data processor. Document processing equipment for providing such process steps is well known in the art.

It should further be noted that some retailers, such as membership clubs, store identifying information about each customer in a file by using a membership number or loyalty card number, which is always included in the purchase record at the point of sale. Consequently, such retailers already have all the information necessary to automatically process the discount requirements on behalf of the buyer without any further active involvement of the buyer. This is also true for the option where the buyer can use the intended card, such as a smart card, credit card or debit card, to make a sale. However, automatic processing is not approved by retailers and manufacturers, as there are certain advantages to making the buyer actively demand a discount.

Usually, as described here, the discount requesting stage takes place after the purchase is recorded, as a result of which the buyer can confirm the serial number of the transaction, along with identification information, as confirmation. However, the discount requesting stage may also presumably take place before the purchase or at the same time as the purchase and is carried out by the buyer, for example, accessing the website and viewing advertising materials concerning, for example, discounts provided only via the Internet. In such a method, the advantage still remains of the need for confirming steps from the buyer. To claim such a discount before or at the same time as the purchase, the buyer can simply enter identifying information (such as a membership number or special card number). Then a stored record is created containing information identifying the buyer and the identification of a specific product for which a discount is requested.

If the purchase of a certain item occurs after requesting the proposed discount, for example, in the data processing system of a point of sale located at a building materials retailer, the late transaction also includes identifying information about the buyer (for example, membership number). Therefore, a purchase record transmitted when an electronic file is sent includes at least (ί) identification information relevant to the buyer and (ίί) identification of each specific item purchased by the buyer.

In the case of an electronic transaction, the provision of a card number or membership number may initiate automatic processing of the sale, as well as the simultaneous automatic processing of discount requirements. The difference between such a discount and an electronic coupon is that the discount is not made as a reduction in the price of the goods, but is provided to the buyer in the form of another means, such as a check or credit, later. In addition, discount processing occurs at a different stage than sales processing. Therefore, the step of registering a purchase contains a step that is separate from the step of registering discount requirements, and a point-of-sale system record must be created for subsequent comparison with the stored data record corresponding to the discount requirement. Although systems for registering sales and discounts can be physically located in the same place, each system typically represents at least different software modules.

Each stored data record is associated with one or more corresponding purchase data records having identical customer identification information, such as a membership number. If the purchase data record does not contain the identification of a specific product corresponding to the identifying information about a specific product in the stored record, then the discount offer for this product is not processed. Since each purchase is tied to a membership number, the transaction serial number is not necessary (although it is preferably provided for control purposes). The record of the stored data and the corresponding corresponding record of the purchase data are then processed to confirm the discount requirements, and the amount of the requested discounts on the relevant offers is sent to the buyer. The discount requested before the sale may become unreliable after a predetermined time has elapsed in order to stimulate a quick sale. If additional interaction with the buyer is desired, the method may require the implementation of additional confirming steps within a certain time interval, when the buyer must again contact the specified site and give a command to initiate the processed discount.

Specialists in the art based on the above embodiments of the present invention can make various modifications of these options. These modifications should be considered as not beyond the scope of the present invention established by the claims.

Claims (59)

CLAIM 1. The method of processing the marketing discount requirement for goods submitted by the buyer to satisfy one or more discount offers, each of which has a certain amount, the buyer acquires one or more specific goods in one or more eligible transactions, each eligible transaction has a code assigned to it the transaction, and the transaction code is recorded in the point of sale data processing and storage system and recorded on the receipt issued to the buyer, the method comprising the steps of (a) securing the designated site, connected foot with a computer information network and available to the buyer; (b) receiving the discount requirement at the specified site, the discount requirement containing (ί) at least one transaction code corresponding to the eligible transaction, and (ίί) identifying information corresponding to the buyer; (c) storing in the form of a record of stored data of said at least one transaction code and identifying information corresponding to the buyer; (b) the receipt of an electronic transfer file containing at least one purchase data record containing at least () transaction code corresponding to the eligible transaction in which the at least one particular item was purchased by the buyer, and () identification each specific product purchased by the buyer; (e) linking each stored data record with a corresponding purchase data record having an identical transaction code; (1) processing the stored data record and the corresponding purchase data record associated with it to certify the discount requirement; and (e) sending the amount of requested discounts to the buyer on the relevant offers. 2. The method according to claim 1, wherein step (a) includes providing said site to which the customer can access using one of the following: a computer connected to a computer information network; a computerized telephone answering system connected to the specified site, which can be accessed by dialing the assigned telephone number using the telephone; or combinations thereof. 3. The method of claim 1, wherein receiving the discount requirement at the specified site in step (b) includes receiving the discount requirement entered in one of the following options: the buyer by contacting the specified site using a personal computer connected to the computer information network; the buyer by contacting the specified site using a computer located in a retail enterprise and connected to a computer information network; the buyer by contacting the specified site using the phone with a tone dialing; the executive manager on the basis of information transferred from the discount requirement filed by the buyer in paper form; or combinations thereof. 4. The method according to claim 1, in which step (d) includes sending the cash amount of discounts to the buyer in the form of a check. 5. The method according to claim 1, wherein step (e) includes sending the cash amount of discounts to the buyer in the form of one of the following: (ί) credit to a smart card, () credit to a bank account or credit card or (w) certificate for payment by a participating member of the retail network. 6. The method according to claim 1, wherein receiving the discount requirement at the specified site in step (b) comprises receiving information entered by the buyer when accessing the specified site, and step (b) further includes a request during the buyer's request to the specified site on-line, at the buyer's choice, whether to proceed to step (1) immediately or delay the execution of step (1) until one of the following occurs: the buyer then submits instructions for the continuation or the expiry of the relevant time period. 7. The method according to claim 6, wherein in step (b) the customer chooses the delay in performing step (1) until the time period expires, and steps (b) and (c) are repeated before the time period expires, and the next step (B) contains the receipt on the specified site of additional transaction codes for additional eligible transactions, and the subsequent step (c) contains a modification of the record of stored data to include these additional transaction codes. 8. The method of claim 7, wherein the subsequent step (b) comprises receiving only a portion of the identifying information received in the previous step (b) and identifying, based on said adopted part, the buyer's identifying information on the stored data record stored in the preceding step (with). 9. The method of claim 7, wherein, in step (b), the customer selects a wait until the end of the eligible period of time, wherein steps (1) and (e) are performed after the expiration of the eligible period of time. 10. The method according to claim 1, further comprising the step of (a) forming a marketing record for each customer, wherein the marketing record contains said identifying information about the customer and one or more of his customer preferences derived from the purchase data records for eligible transactions, which, in step (a), the respective transaction codes were adopted, the method further comprising providing the marketing record to the marketing agent. 11. The method of claim 1, wherein the customer acquires said one or more certain goods using a smart card that has digital data storage means storing the smart card identifier and transaction code as digital data, with step (b) including on the specified site, the discount requirement entered by the buyer using a smart card reader to automatically download the card identifier and the stored transaction code from the smart card into the card reader, the identifier being mouths contains identifying information; and step (e) includes sending the cash amount of the rebate request to the buyer by crediting the smart card. 12. The method according to claim 1, in which the computer information network is a global computer information network. 13. A method of processing a set of requirements for marketing discounts for goods submitted by a multitude of buyers to satisfy a variety of discount offers, each of which has a certain amount, each buyer acquiring one or more specific goods for one or more eligible transactions, each eligible transaction has its assigned transaction code, the method comprising the steps of (a) providing a designated site connected to a computer information network and accessible to a multitude of customers; (b) accepting a set of discount requirements at a specified site, each discount requirement containing (1) at least one transaction code corresponding to one or more eligible transactions, and (and) identifying information corresponding to the buyer, with at least one requirement discounts are entered by the executive manager on the basis of information transferred from the discount requirement submitted by the buyer in paper form, and at least one discount requirement is entered using one of the following options: by the buyer by contacting the specified site using a personal computer connected to the global computer information network by the buyer by contacting the specified site using a computer located in a retail enterprise and connected to the global computer information network, or the buyer by accessing the specified site using a telephone; (c) storing a set of records of stored data, each record of stored data containing identifying information corresponding to one customer and at least one transaction code related to the demand discount of that customer; (6) receiving an e-mail file containing a plurality of purchase data records, each purchase data record containing at least (1) a transaction code corresponding to the eligible transaction in which the buyer acquired at least one specific product, and (and ) identification of each specific product purchased by the buyer in the eligible transaction; (e) linking each stored data record with a corresponding purchase data record having an identical transaction code; (ί) processing each record of the stored data and the corresponding purchase data record associated with it to certify the discount requirement; and (e) forwarding to each of the multiple buyers the amount of discounts requested by the buyer on the respective offers. 14. The method of claim 13, wherein step (b) includes receiving at least one discount requirement from the buyer — the owner of the intended card who purchased said one or more specific goods, using said card having a card identifier, said card it is one of the following: a credit card, which has a corresponding credit account, a debit card, a corresponding bank or debit account, or a smart card, which has a computer means of storing digital data; step (c) includes storing at least one record of the stored data of the specified card containing personal information about the buyer - the owner of the specified card and retrieved using the specified card identifier; step (b) includes receiving in the forwarded electronic file at least one transaction data record containing the identifier of the specified card and the corresponding transaction code for the eligible transaction in which the said one or more specific goods were acquired by the buyer - the owner of the specified card using the specified card ; step (e) involves the executive manager linking the transaction data record with the corresponding stored data record of the specified card and updating the record data record of the specified card to include the transaction code; and step (e) includes sending the cash amount of the discount requirements to the buyer-owner of the specified card by the executive manager crediting one of the following: a corresponding credit account, a corresponding bank or debit account, or a means of storing digital data of a smartcard. 15. A method of processing a marketing discount requirement for goods submitted by a buyer to satisfy one or more discount offers, each of which has a certain amount, and the method includes (a) processing at least one eligible transaction made by at least one buyer, each eligible transaction includes the purchase by the buyer of one or more specific goods; (b) assigning a transaction code to each eligible transaction, recording the transaction code in the data processing and storage system, recording the transaction code on a receipt and issuing a receipt to the buyer; (c) providing the buyer with access information corresponding to the specified site connected to the computer information network, and agreeing to provide the buyer with a discount for entering one or more discount requirements on the specified site, with each discount requirement containing (ί) at least one transaction code corresponding to the eligible transaction, and (and) identifying information corresponding to the buyer; (b) ensuring the transfer of an electronic file containing at least one purchase data record containing at least () a transaction code corresponding to the eligible transaction in which the buyer acquired the at least one specific item, and () identification each specific product purchased by the buyer; (e) providing the amount of the discount requirement to the buyer after the transaction code contained in the discount requirement entered on the specified site is mapped to the transaction code contained in the purchase data record and the discount requirement is certified. 16. The method of claim 15, wherein step (a) further includes issuing a receipt to the buyer, in which there is a dedicated settlement for one or more specific goods for which discounts are offered and which are acquired by the buyer in the eligible transaction. 17. The method of claim 16, wherein step (a) further includes issuing a primary receipt and a secondary receipt to the buyer, the secondary receipt essentially consisting of (ί) the transaction code entry for the eligible transaction and () the dedicated settlement only for certain goods for which discounts are offered, and the primary receipt contains the calculation for all purchases made by the buyer when making the eligible transaction. 18. A method of processing a marketing discount requirement for goods submitted by a buyer to satisfy one or more discount offers, each of which has a certain amount, the method comprising the steps of (a) recording the purchase of one or more specific goods made in one or more eligible transactions, assigning the appropriate transaction code to the eligible transaction and creating at least one purchase data record containing at least () the transaction code corresponding to the eligible transaction, and () identifying each For a specific product purchased by the buyer; (b) providing a designated site connected to a computer information network and accessible to the buyer; (c) receiving a discount request to the specified site, with the discount requirement containing (ί) the transaction code corresponding to the eligible transaction, and () identifying information corresponding to the buyer; (b) storing, as a record of the stored data, the said transaction code together with the identifying information; (e) linking a stored data record with a purchase data record having the same transaction code; (ί) processing the purchase data record and the stored data record associated with it to certify the discount requirements; and (e) sending the amount of requested discounts to the buyer on the relevant offers. 19. A method of processing a marketing discount requirement for goods submitted by a buyer to satisfy one or more discount offers, each offer of a discount contains a proposal to provide a certain amount of compensation in response to the purchase of a certain product, and the buyer acquires one or more of the specified goods when an eligible transaction is made a participating retail network member using a designated card that has a card identifier and represents one of the following Next: a credit card, debit card or smart card, each eligible transaction is recorded by the point of sale data processing and storage system and assigned with a corresponding transaction code, the method comprising (a) receiving a sent electronic file consisting of a purchase data record containing at least (ί) the transaction code, (ίί) the identifier of the specified card and () the list of goods purchased by the buyer; (b) linking a purchase data record with a corresponding stored data record containing personal information about the customer and the identifier of the specified card; (c) processing the purchase data record and the corresponding stored data record to certify the discount requirements and (b) crediting the specified card with the sum of the requested discounts for the respective offers. 20. The method of claim 19, wherein step (b) includes updating the stored data record by adding a transaction code to it. 21. A method of processing a marketing discount requirement for goods submitted by a buyer to satisfy one or more discount offers, each of which has a certain amount, and the buyer acquires one or more specific goods in one or more eligible transactions, each eligible transaction has an assignment transaction code, the method comprising the steps of (a) providing an interactive computerized phone call processing system, to which the customer can access by dialing specific phone number; (c) receiving a discount requirement using an interactive computerized phone call processing system, the discount requirement containing (ί) at least one transaction code corresponding to the eligible transaction, and (and) identifying information corresponding to the buyer; (d) storing, as a record of the stored data, the at least one transaction code mentioned above and the identifying information corresponding to the purchaser; (e) receiving an electronic file containing at least one record of purchase data containing at least (ί) transaction code corresponding to the eligible transaction in which the buyer acquired the at least one specific item, and () identifying each a particular product purchased by the buyer; (ί) linking each stored data record with a corresponding purchase data record that has an identical transaction code; (e) processing the stored data record and the corresponding purchase data record associated with it to certify the discount requirement; and (k) sending the amount of requested discounts to the buyer on the relevant offers. 22. A system for processing multiple claims for marketing discounts on goods submitted by multiple buyers to satisfy multiple discount offers, with each discount offer offering to provide a certain amount of compensation in response to purchasing a specific product and each customer acquiring one or more specific products from a participating program a member of the retail network when making the eligible transaction, and the said system includes a means for receiving data on demand discounts in electronic form from a multitude of customers, with data on demand discounts for each customer containing at least a transaction code and customer identifier; means for storing data on demand discounts in the form of a record of stored data and for receiving and storing an electronic file; means for receiving an electronic file being sent, the electronic file containing a purchase data record for each eligible transaction and each purchase data record includes at least one transaction code; means for associating each stored data record with a corresponding purchase data record containing an identical transaction code for processing each stored data record and corresponding purchase data record for verifying each discount requirement and additionally for checking each certified discount requirement for fraud and means for forwarding the amount of the discount requirement to each buyer. 23. The system of claim 22, further comprising means intended for processing purchases made by the purchaser to assign a transaction code to each eligible transaction and to issue to each purchaser a means containing a transaction code entry; means for transferring the electronic file to the means for receiving the electronic file. 24. The system of claim 22, wherein the means for receiving data on demand discounts in electronic form comprises one of the following: a designated site connected to the global computer information network and available to the customer via the global computer information network, or an interactive computerized phone call processing system , which the buyer can call a specific phone number. 25. The system of claim 24, further comprising at least one computer used by the customer to access the specified global information network site. 26. The system of claim 25, wherein the computer used by the customer has one of the following locations: the domicile of the customer, the customer’s workplace, or an enterprise operated by a member participating in the program. 27. The system of claim 22, further comprising at least one telephone used by the customer to access the specified site of the global computer information network, the website being intended to receive data on demand discounts provided by the customer by telephone. 28. The system according to claim 22, wherein the means for sending the amount of the rebate request comprises a check for sending to the buyer by mail. 29. The system according to claim 22, wherein the means for sending the amount of the rebate request comprises a smart card having a machine-readable means of storage for storing digital information in the form of at least one of the following: debits and credits having a cash amount; and a card recorder capable of storing information in a machine-readable storage medium in the form of a credit having a cash amount. 30. The system of claim 22, further comprising means for providing data on demand discounts in paper form; means for receiving data on demand discounts in paper form, converting data on demand discounts in paper form into data on demand discounts in electronic form and transferring data on demand discounts in electronic form to the specified site. 31. The system of claim 30, wherein the paper form is a paper form for recording personal information about a customer and one or more transaction codes. 32. The system of claim 30, further comprising means issued to each customer, which contains an entry of the transaction code in the form of a bar code, and the data at the request of the discount in paper form contains said means issued to the customer, or a copy thereof; barcode scanner tool for converting data on demand discounts in paper form to demand data discounts in electronic form. 33. Device for storing a computer software product, machine-readable, materially implementing a program from the instructions executed by the machine to perform the steps of the method of processing a marketing discount requirement for goods submitted by the buyer to satisfy one or more discount offers, each of which has a certain amount, while the buyer acquires one or more specific goods in one or more eligible transactions, each eligible transaction has a transaction code assigned to it, and e steps of the method include (a) providing a designated site, connected to the computer network and information available to the buyer; (b) accepting the discount requirement at the specified site, the discount requirement containing (ί) at least one transaction code corresponding to the eligible transaction, and (ίί) identifying information corresponding to the buyer; (c) storing in the form of a record of the stored data of said at least one transaction code and identifying information corresponding to the buyer; (6) accepting an electronic transfer file containing at least one purchase data record containing at least () transaction code corresponding to the eligible transaction in which the at least one particular item was purchased by the buyer, and () identification each specific product purchased by the buyer; (e) linking each stored data record with a corresponding purchase data record having an identical transaction code; (ί) processing the stored data record and the corresponding purchase data record associated with it to certify the discount requirement; and (e) processing the transfer to the buyer of the amount of requested discounts on the relevant offers. 34. The device according to claim 33, wherein step (e) comprises processing the transfer to the buyer in the form of one of the following: issuing a check, issuing a credit for a smart card, issuing a credit to a bank account or credit card, or issuing a certificate for payment by participants in program member of the retail network. 35. A method of processing a marketing discount requirement for goods submitted by a buyer to satisfy at least one discount offer that contains a promise to send a certain amount of compensation to the buyer in exchange for the purchase of at least one specific product by the buyer, while the buyer acquires at least one specified the goods when making at least one eligible transaction, each eligible transaction has a transaction code assigned to it, the method comprising the steps of (a) receiving from the buyer, a discount requirement containing (ί) at least one transaction code corresponding to the eligible transaction, and (ίί) identifying information corresponding to the buyer; (b) storing in memory of a computer in the form of a record of stored data of said at least one transaction code and identification information corresponding to the buyer; (c) receiving and storing in the computer's memory an electronic file containing at least one purchase data record containing at least () a transaction code corresponding to the eligible transaction in which the buyer acquired the at least one particular item, and (ίί) identification of each specific item purchased by the buyer; (6) linking each stored data record with a corresponding purchase data record that has an identical transaction code; (e) processing the stored data record and the corresponding purchase data record associated with it to certify each discount requirement and (ί) forward to the buyer the said amount of reimbursement corresponding to each requested discount on the relevant offer. 36. The method according to p. 35, in which the discount requirement is received from the buyer in step (a) by sending it in electronic form when contacting the specified computer information network site or by sending it via email. 37. The method according to p. 35, in which the discount requirement is received from the buyer in step (a) by phone. 38. The method according to p. 35, in which the discount requirement is received from the buyer in step (a) by transfer in paper form, carried out by the postal service. 39. The method according to claim 35, wherein the discount requirement is received from the buyer in step (a) using a designated card having a card identifier and representing one of the following: a credit card, debit card or smart card, with identifying information corresponding to the buyer is the said card ID. 40. The method of claim 35, wherein said reimbursement amount sent to the customer in step (ί) comprises one of the following: a cash amount or a predetermined manufactured item. 41. A system for processing multiple claims for marketing discounts on goods submitted by multiple buyers to satisfy multiple discount offers, with each discount offer offering to provide a certain amount of compensation in response to purchasing a particular product, each customer acquiring one or more specific goods from a participating program the member of the retail network during the execution of the eligible transaction and each eligible transaction by the aforementioned member in the program is assigned a code lk, the system contains a designated site accessible through a computer information network; means for receiving data on demand discounts in electronic form from a variety of buyers, and data on demand discounts for each customer contain at least one transaction code and customer identifier; means for storing data on demand discounts in the form of a record of stored data and for receiving and storing an electronic file sent from said member participating in the program, said electronic file containing a record of purchase data for each eligible transaction and each record of purchase data includes a transaction code ; means for associating each stored data record with a corresponding purchase data record containing an identical transaction code for processing each stored data record and corresponding purchase data record for verifying each discount requirement and additionally for checking each certified discount requirement for fraud and means for forwarding the amount of the discount requirement to each buyer. 42. A system of providing multiple offers of marketing discounts for goods to a multitude of buyers, with each discount offer containing a proposal to provide a certain amount of compensation in response to purchasing a particular product, and the system contains a means for processing a plurality of eligible transactions, and each eligible transaction contains one or more customers’s acquisition certain goods, and this means is intended to assign to each eligible transaction a transaction code for issuing each buyer of the funds containing the transaction code entry; and means for sending an electronic file to a system to which a customer can access via a computer information network and which is intended to receive and process a discount request, the electronic file contains a record of purchase data for each eligible transaction and each record of purchase data includes a transaction code. 43. A method of processing a marketing discount requirement for goods submitted by a buyer to satisfy one or more discount offers, each of which has a certain amount and relates to one or more specific goods, the method comprising successive steps (a) of providing a designated site connected to a computer information network and available to the buyer; (b) accepting the discount requirement at the specified site, the discount requirement containing at least the identifying information relevant to the buyer entered in response to the discount offer; (c) storing, as a record, the stored data () of said identifying information corresponding to the buyer, and () identifying information corresponding to said one or more specific goods related to the discount requirement; (b) processing the purchase made by the buyer of said one or more specific goods in one or more eligible transactions, said processing comprising receiving said identifying information from the relevant buyer; (e) the receipt of an electronic file sent, including at least one purchase data record, containing (ί) the said identification information corresponding to the buyer, and () the identification of each specific item purchased by the buyer; (ί) linking each stored data record with one or more corresponding purchase data records that have identical identifying information that corresponds to the customer; (e) processing the stored data record and the associated associated purchase data records referred to to verify the discount requirement; (I) forwarding the amount of requested discounts to the buyer on the relevant offers. 44. The method of claim 1, further comprising, after step (b) and before step (I), receiving instructions from the buyer at the indicated site to initiate the processing of the discount requirement. 45. A method of processing a variety of marketing discount requirements filed from customers to satisfy a variety of discount offers, the buyer making a number of specific purchases in one or more transactions registered with the data processing system, each specific purchase has a discount offer associated with it, and each transaction has the transaction code assigned to it, the method comprising the steps of (a) receiving a set of discount requirements from the buyer, each discount requirement containing (ί) at least one d transaction and (ίί) identifying information corresponding to the buyer, (b) agreeing on each transaction code accepted when receiving the discount requirements with the corresponding transaction code in the corresponding data record containing the information generated by the data processing system, and the corresponding data record contains at least measure (ί) the corresponding transaction code and (ίί) the identification of each specific purchase associated with the transaction identified by the relevant transaction code, (c) the processing of the multiple discount requirements and each corresponding data record to create a set of certified discount requirements by matching the identification of each specific purchase in the corresponding data record with the corresponding identification in the discount offer database to determine the amount of each discount offer and (ά) forwarding the amount of the set of discount offers corresponding to the set of certified discount requirements to the buyer. 46. The method according to item 45, including receiving at least one of the many requirements of discounts from the buyer online via the global computer information network. 47. A system for processing multiple discount requirements filed by multiple buyers to satisfy multiple discount offers, each discount offer containing an offer to provide a sum of money in response to one or more specific purchases, each specific purchase has a discount offer associated with it and forming part of transaction, and the system contains the first computer element designed (a) to process a multitude of purchases, (b) assign a transaction code to each transaction and (c) create one and and more electronic data records, each data record containing (ί) transaction code and (ίί) identifying one or more purchases associated with a transaction code, a second computer element for electronic reception of a variety of discount requirements, each discount requirement containing (a) at least one transaction code and (b) a customer identifier, a third computer element that communicates with the first computer element and the second computer element to reconcile at least one transaction code of each discount requirement with the corresponding transaction code in the corresponding data record generated by the first computer element, and for processing each discount requirement and the corresponding data record to create a certified discount requirement by matching the identification of each specific product in each data record with the corresponding identification in the database of discount offers to determine the amount of each offers of a discount and (e) an element of transfer of the sum for transfer to the appropriate buyer the sum of one or more offers Nij discounts to satisfy every requirement certified discounts. 48. The system of claim 47, wherein the second computer element is intended for electronic reception of a plurality of discount requirements on the global computer information network. 49. The method according to claims 1, 13, 15, 18, 19, 21, 35, 43 and 45, in which the transaction code specifically identifies the eligible transaction, and not the amount of the discount or purchase of a particular product. 50. The method according to claims 1, 13, 15, 18, 19, 21, 35, 43 and 45, further comprising accepting a claim or discount requirements in which there is no product identification information, and certifying the discount requirement or claims by coordinating the identification of each specific goods in the purchase data record with the corresponding identification in the database of discount offers to determine the amount of each discount offer. 51. The method of claim 50, further comprising (ί) verifying a plurality of discount requirements from one purchase data record, (ίί) verifying a single discount requirement from multiple purchase data records, or (ίίί) a combination of () and (). 52. The method according to claims 1, 13, 15, 18, 19, 21, 35, 43, 45 and 50, in which the sum of each discount offer is a sum of money, and step (e) includes sending the sum of money of the set of discount offers to the buyer through one shipment to the buyer. 53. The system or computer software product according to PP.22, 33, 41, 42 and 47, in which the transaction code contains the specific identifier of the eligible transaction, and not the identifier of the amount of the discount or purchase of a particular product. 54. The system of paragraphs 22, 41 and 47, in which there is no product identification information in the discount requirement data, the third computer element or means for processing the stored data record and the corresponding data record contains means for verifying the discount requirement by agreeing on the identification of each specific product in the purchase data record with the corresponding identification in the database of discount offers to determine the amount of each discount offer. 55. The system of claim 54, wherein the means for verifying a discount requirement further comprises means for (ί) verifying a plurality of discount requirements from a single purchase data record, (ίί) verifying a single discount requirement from a plurality of purchase data records, or () a combination (ί) and (ίί). 56. The system of paragraphs 22, 41 and 47, in which the sum of each discount offer is a sum of money, while the element of transferring the amount or means for sending the sum of money is intended to send the sum of money of the many offers of discounts to the buyer by means of one transfer to the buyer. 57. The computer software product of claim 33, in which there is no product identification information in the discount requirement data, wherein step (1) of the method includes verifying the discount requirement by matching the identification of each specific product in the purchase data record with the corresponding identification in the discount offer database for determine the amount of each offer discounts. 58. The computer program product of claim 57, wherein step (1) of the method further comprises verifying the discount requirement further by (ί) certifying a plurality of discount requirements from one purchase data record, (ίί) certifying one discount requirement from a plurality of purchase data records or (ίίί) combinations (ί) and (ίί). 59. The computer program product of claim 33, wherein the amount of each discount offer is a money amount, wherein the step (e) of the method comprises processing a transfer to the buyer, including one transfer of a money amount for a plurality of discount offers.